1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to water containers and more particularly pertains to sports water bottles with a cap. The invention relates more particularly to sports bottles having a built-in filtering system for filtering water that flows through the filtering system and out of it at a location at or closely spaced from the outflow location of the bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of filters with water containers is known in the prior art. More specifically, water containers with filter assemblies heretofore devised and utilized are known to exhibit a myriad of structural configurations. Known prior art water containers with filters that provide for flow of water through the filtering means include U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,312 to Klumb et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,188 to Rajan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,819 to Iana et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,195 to Spangrud et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,185 to Hughes. However, this set of prior art teaches that all the respective filters descend down into the cavity of the bottle. The present invention has recognized that such structures have an undesirable effect; namely, when the bottle is inverted, which is often the case when athletes drink from sports bottles, and once the water level is below the opening of the filter, water will no longer flow, and a certain quantity of water will remain in the bottle. Also, by placing the filter or filters in the cavity of the bottle, the amount of water the bottle could otherwise hold is reduced by the volume the filter protrudes into the bottle.
Known prior art water containers with filters that provide for radial flow of water through the filtering device include U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,917 to Knight; U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,315 to Lonneman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,045 to Palmer et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,886 to Nohren. In practicing prior art of this type, the filters descend into the cavity of the bottle, again reducing the amount of water the bottle could otherwise contain. Also, a radial flow approach can create flow difficulties and structural and assembly issues.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,185 to Dick and U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,743 to Poirier et al. have filters as part of the cap assembly that do not descend into the cavity. However, these patents disclose the use of disc-shaped filters that are considered by the present disclosure to be inferior to the axial flow, inside-the-cap removable filter unit of the present disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,463 to Shimizu et al. discloses a filter assembly that does not descend into the cavity of the bottle. This filter assembly cannot be separated from the rest of the cap, thereby not allowing for the user of such bottle to replace the filter assembly. Furthermore, the Shimizu filter assembly requires a section of the filter assembly having hollow fibers.
While these devices propose respective objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a sports water bottle and bottle cap with an integral filtration system that is readily replaceable. The present apparatus includes a filter assembly located within the cap of the bottle such that the filter assembly does not descend into the bottle cavity when the cap is screwed on thereby not displacing water while screwing on the cap. One of the filter assemblies illustrated herein includes a paper filter covering the upper open end and a foam filter covering the lower open end. The filter assembly typically also includes an activated charcoal filter in between the paper filter and the foam filter. Water is filtered when pressure generated by squeezing the bottle forces water from the bottle cavity through the filter and out through the nozzle.
In these respects, the sports water bottles and bottle caps with replaceable integral filtration systems according to the present invention substantially depart from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of filtering unfiltered water within a sports water bottle.